A lot of variables

Algebra Level 2

If a x = b y = c z a^x=b^y=c^z and a 3 = b 2 c a^3=b^2c , with x , y , z x,y,z are non zero numbers, and a , b , c a, b, c are positive non-one numbers.

What is the value of 3 x 2 y \dfrac{3}{x}-\dfrac{2}{y} ?


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1 z \frac{1}{z} xyz y x \frac{y}{x} x y \frac{x}{y}

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3 solutions

Arghyanil Dey
May 13, 2015

Let, a x = b y = c z = k a^{x}=b^{y}=c^{z}=k Then a = k 1 x , b = k 1 y , c = k 1 z a=k^{\frac{1}{x}} , b=k^{\frac{1}{y}} , c=k^{\frac{1}{z}} Put the value of a a , b b , c c in the given relation a 3 = b 2 c a^{3}=b^{2}c we get, k 3 x = k 2 y k 1 z k^{\frac{3}{x}}=k^{\frac{2}{y}}k^{\frac{1}{z}} or, k ( 3 x 2 y ) = k 1 z k^{(\frac{3}{x}-\frac{2}{y})}=k^{\frac{1}{z}} hence ( 3 x 2 y ) = 1 z (\frac{3}{x}-\frac{2}{y})=\frac{1}{z}

Hehe, Easy problem. And Perfect Solution! :)

Mehul Arora - 6 years, 1 month ago

That's right the unification of symbols is the method :)

Omar Rabee - 6 years ago

If we assume that a , b , c a,b,c are positive reals, then if we take the common logs of the given equations we find that

x log ( a ) = y log ( b ) = z log ( c ) x\log(a) = y\log(b) = z\log(c) and 3 log ( a ) = 2 log ( b ) + log ( c ) . 3\log(a) = 2\log(b) + \log(c).

From the first of these we see that log ( c ) = y z log ( b ) , \log(c) = \dfrac{y}{z}\log(b), and so if we also assume that none of a , b , c a,b,c equal 1 1 we find that

3 log ( a ) x log ( a ) = 2 log ( b ) + y z log ( b ) y log ( b ) 3 x = 2 + y z y = 2 y + 1 z 3 x 2 y = 1 z . \dfrac{3\log(a)}{x\log(a)} = \dfrac{2\log(b) + \dfrac{y}{z}\log(b)}{y\log(b)} \Longrightarrow \dfrac{3}{x} = \dfrac{2 + \dfrac{y}{z}}{y} = \dfrac{2}{y} + \dfrac{1}{z} \Longrightarrow \dfrac{3}{x} - \dfrac{2}{y} = \boxed{\dfrac{1}{z}}.

Taran Kota
May 13, 2015

If a^x=b^y=c^z, then we can say that a^x a^x=b^y c^z a^2x=b^y c^z Compare this to a^3=b^2 c Hence, 2x=3, y=2, and z=1 x=3/2 Substitute these values into the equation into (3/x-2/y) If we do this, we arrive at the answer 2-1=1. Now we need to choose the answer choice that will get us to 1. Since z=1, 1/z=1 as well, so the answer is 1/z.

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